China’s one of the biggest technology companies, Tencent, is quietly developing a new AI agent for its messaging platform WeChat, according to a report by The Information. The project is reportedly being built as a “top secret” initiative, aimed at competing with domestic rivals such as Alibaba Group and ByteDance, while keeping pace with the rapidly evolving global artificial intelligence race.
The new AI agent is expected to work directly within WeChat, which is often compared to WhatsApp but differs because of its more extensive integrated services. With more than 1.4 billion monthly active users in China, WeChat is already central to everyday digital life in the country. By adding an AI agent to the platform, Tencent is reportedly aiming to allow users to automate and handle many of the tasks they currently perform manually within the app.
According to The Information, the new agent in WeChat will be designed to interact with the platform’s vast network of “miniprograms”. These are lightweight apps that run inside WeChat and allow users to access services such as booking taxis, ordering groceries, shopping online, paying bills, or managing appointments without leaving the messaging platform.
If the rollout of the AI agent works as intended, the technology will allow users to navigate multiple miniprograms simply by asking the AI assistant. In short, once instructed, the AI agent will automatically book a ride or place an order, and complete the task within WeChat.
As for the rollout, the report suggests that Tencent plans to introduce the AI agent through a limited testing phase known as “grey-box testing” by the middle of the year. This process will allow selected users to access the new feature while the company collects feedback and monitors how the system performs in real-world scenarios.
Tencent’s push into agentic AI comes at a time when competition around the technology is intensifying globally. Both in China and in Silicon Valley, companies are racing to build AI assistants that can autonomously complete digital tasks for users, moving beyond simple chatbots towards systems capable of performing real actions.
For instance, Meta recently announced a partnership with Manus AI, a Singapore-based AI software startup. Manus agents are designed to autonomously plan and execute complex, multi-step tasks directly within chat platforms, rather than simply responding to prompts like traditional chatbots.
Following the acquisition, Manus is currently available on Telegram, where the AI agent allows users to automate and carry out complex tasks directly within the chat platform. In the coming weeks, Meta is expected to expand similar AI agents to more platforms, including WhatsApp and Instagram.
